Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Extension Service

Barbara A. Holt, Ph.D.

Clark County Extension Agent--

Family and Consumer Sciences

Cooperative Extension Service

EXTENSION HOMEMAKER

`Remembering the Past, Building the Future' is the theme of the 1997 annual meeting of the Arkansas Extension Homemakers. Members from throughout Arkansas will travel to the campus of Harding University in Searcy to attend the June 10-12 meeting.

Delegates will represent over 11,000 members located in 829 communities.

Extension Homemakers Club (EHC) members from Clark County planning to attend are Jo Baldwin, Kathryn Burchfield, Betty Cook, Alta Tootsie Dempsey, Denise Ezell, Mary McBride, Joyce Palla, Nancy Park, Ruby Lee Rollins, June Sossamon, Mildred Suggs, Jean Toland, Carolyn C. Trieschmann, Barbara Wasson, Elizabeth Wilson, Joan Wilson, Judy E. Wilson and Barbara Holt, EHC Advisor.

EHC members will be involved in educational sessions, business meetings and creative encounters.

Mamie McCullough, motivator, educator and author, will be the keynote speaker. McCullough worked with Zig Ziglar before forming Mamie McCullough and Associates in 1989.

Education classes on building effective speaking skills, home based business, quick and nutritious meals, domestic violence prevention and hunger in Arkansas will be a few of more than forty classes and workshops members may attend.

Extension Homemaker Clubs are organized to strengthen families, individuals and communities by focusing on continuing education, leadership development and community service.

Clubs meet regularly and various club members report the latest information on subjects, such as family and child development financial management, the environment, food nutrition, and much more. State community and club projects are developed and carried out.

The Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas, supports this organization by providing training for club leaders in a variety of subject matter areas and leadership development.

Areas of emphasis for EHC include cultural arts, textiles and clothing, family and human development, home and community environment, leadership development, nutrition, health and wellness, public relations and membership, resource management and special community projects.

TERMS USED

Are you trying to watch the fat content of the food you eat? Are you supposed to be on a low sodium diet, or one that is low in cholesterol? What do we look for on food labels that help us tell if the food we buy meets the nutrition levels that we would like to have?

Terms used on food labels are not just put there by the manufaturer to get you to buy their products. The terms have very specific meanings and are required to meet certain criteria.

Here are some terms that are used on food labels, and what they really mean.

• Free: A product with this label has virtually none of a nutrient. You may see foods that say they are free from calories, sugar, sodium, salt, fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

• Low: A product that says low has a low enough amount of a nutrient that you don't have to worry about eating it without going over daily recommendations. Here are some examples of low nutrient foods:

  LOW SODIUM: This means the food has no more than 140 mg sodium per serving. VERY LOW means it has no more than 356 mg.

  LOW CALORIE: No more than 40 calories per serving are found in these foods.

  LOW FAT: No more than three grams of fat per serving are in low fat foods.

  LOW SATURATED FAT: Only one gram of saturated fat per serving is found in these foods.

  LOW CHOLESTEROL: These foods have no more than 20 mg cholesterol per serving.

• Reduced or Less: at least a 25% reduction.

• Light or Lite: 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat.

• Good Source: 10% to 19% of the daily value needed.

• High, Rich in, or Excellent Source: at least 20% of the nutrient needed for the day.

• More: at least 10% more.

• Lean: fewer than 10 grams of fat, fewer than four grams saturated fat, and fewer than 94 mg cholesterol per serving.

• Extra Lean: fewer than five grams of fat, fewer than two grams saturated fat, and fewer than 95 grams of cholesterol per serving.

Terms used to describe food products are strictly regulated by the government. These terms are used to help you make choices among foods on the grocery shelf, and for you to get the levels of nutrients you need.

There are well established diet and health relationships. Become aware of what you eat and how your food habits affect your health. Pay attention to the foods you choose. Some may be better for you than others!

For more information call 246-2281.